Specialized addiction treatment for athletes and professional sports. Evidence-based care addressing performance pressure, injuries, and career transitions.
At Refine Recovery, we understand that athletes face unique challenges when seeking addiction treatment. Our Beverly Hills facility provides a specialized, confidential environment where professional athletes, collegiate competitors, and dedicated sports enthusiasts can heal from substance use disorders while preserving their competitive edge and career trajectory. We believe that effective addiction treatment for athletes must address not only substance use but also the intense performance pressures, physical demands, and identity challenges inherent in athletic life.
Research consistently demonstrates that substance use disorders affect athletes at alarming rates across all sports and competition levels. Studies show that up to 93% of college athletes report alcohol use, 52% of professional football players have used prescription opioids, and approximately 35% of elite athletes experience mental health concerns including substance use disorders. The NCAA reports that student-athletes typically engage in binge drinking at higher rates than non-athletes, with approximately 40% of male athletes and 30% of female athletes consuming excessive amounts in single sittings.
Several factors contribute to these concerning statistics:
Refine Recovery’s treatment philosophy recognizes the distinct needs of athletes and centers on creating an environment where competitors feel understood, supported, and empowered to achieve lasting recovery without sacrificing their athletic identity or future potential.
Our clinical team receives specialized training in athlete psychology, sports medicine, and the unique pressures facing competitive athletes. We understand that athletes require treatment approaches different from traditional addiction care—approaches that honor their competitive drive, respect their physical conditioning needs, and address the specific stressors inherent in athletic life.
We recognize that privacy concerns often prevent athletes from seeking treatment. Fear of media exposure, contract implications, sponsorship loss, or team consequences can create barriers to recovery. Refine Recovery provides the highest level of confidentiality and discretion, ensuring your treatment remains private while you focus on healing.
We utilize proven treatment modalities specifically adapted for athletic populations:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Our cognitive behavioral therapy program helps athletes identify and modify thought patterns related to performance pressure, perfectionism, and self-worth while developing healthy coping strategies that don’t compromise competitive drive.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Our dialectical behavior therapy program focuses on emotion regulation skills particularly valuable for athletes managing intense emotions around performance, injuries, and competitive outcomes.
Group Therapy: Our group therapy services include athlete-specific groups where competitors can connect with others facing similar pressures, building healthy peer support systems that replace destructive team culture around substance use.
Through specialized therapeutic approaches, we help athletes develop healthy responses to performance pressure, perfectionism, fear of failure, and competitive stress. We teach mental skills that enhance both recovery and athletic performance, including visualization, focus techniques, and stress management strategies.
A critical component of athlete treatment involves developing identity and self-worth independent of athletic achievement. Through our life skills development program, we help athletes:
Many athletes have experienced physical trauma through injuries, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) from head impacts, or psychological trauma from abusive coaching, public failure, or career-ending injuries. Our trauma-informed approach recognizes these experiences and integrates healing into the recovery process.
Located in Beverly Hills, Refine Recovery offers a luxury setting that respects the high standards athletes maintain while providing comprehensive addiction treatment.
Our athlete wellness program is guided by Marcus Smith II, Director of Athlete Wellness and former NFL professional who played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks, and Washington Commanders.
Marcus brings profound personal insight into the mental health challenges athletes face. Throughout his NFL career, he privately battled severe anxiety and depression, struggling with panic attacks and sleepless nights while trying to perform at the highest level. After attempting suicide during his playing career, Marcus entered treatment and discovered his true purpose: helping other athletes unmask their struggles and access the support they need.
Today, Marcus is a nationally recognized mental health advocate and founder of the Circle of M nonprofit organization. His lived experience as both a professional athlete and someone who has navigated mental health crisis provides unparalleled understanding of what athletes face—and what recovery requires. Athletes working with Marcus benefit from someone who has walked the same path and truly understands their world.
Unlike many treatment facilities, we recognize the importance of physical fitness to athlete identity and mental health. Our state-of-the-art fitness facilities, certified trainers, and wellness programs allow continued physical conditioning appropriate for recovery stage, helping athletes maintain strength and fitness while healing.
Each athlete receives personalized therapy sessions addressing both substance use and sport-specific concerns including performance anxiety, injury recovery, career transitions, and retirement planning. We work with you to develop treatment plans compatible with training schedules, competitive seasons, and career obligations when appropriate.
Our health and wellness treatment includes approaches particularly beneficial for athletes. Our daily intentions and mindfulness group provides mental training techniques that enhance both recovery and competitive performance. We also offer yoga, breathwork, and sound therapy that support physical recovery and mental clarity.
Through our family therapy programs, we work with families, coaches, and support systems to build healthy relationships and accountability structures. We help families understand the unique pressures athletes face while establishing boundaries and recovery-supportive environments.
Athletes frequently present with co-occurring mental health conditions alongside substance use disorders. Our dual diagnosis treatment addresses:
Research from the National Institute on Drug Abuse demonstrates that integrated treatment addressing both substance use and mental health simultaneously produces optimal outcomes for athletes struggling with co-occurring disorders.
We provide specialized treatment for substances frequently used within athletic populations:
Our alcohol rehab program addresses the pervasive culture of binge drinking in sports, helping athletes develop healthier social connections and stress management strategies that don’t involve alcohol.
Our opioid rehab program recognizes that many athletes develop opioid dependence through legitimate injury treatment. We provide medically-supervised detoxification and comprehensive care addressing both physical dependence and psychological factors driving continued use.
Our prescription drug addiction treatment addresses misuse of ADHD medications and other stimulants used for performance enhancement, weight management, or maintaining energy during demanding training schedules.
Our benzodiazepine addiction treatment addresses dependence on anti-anxiety medications often prescribed for sleep, stress, or injury-related anxiety but leading to dangerous physical dependence.
Our cocaine addiction treatment and stimulant addiction treatment address use of these substances for performance enhancement, weight control, or social use that spirals into addiction.
Our marijuana addiction treatment recognizes increasing cannabis use among athletes for pain management, anxiety relief, and social use, addressing both the substance and underlying reasons for use.
Our polysubstance addiction treatment recognizes that many athletes use multiple substances simultaneously—combining painkillers with alcohol, stimulants with depressants—requiring comprehensive treatment addressing complex use patterns.
One of the most challenging periods for athletes is transitioning away from competitive sports. We provide specialized support for:
Our relapse prevention therapy specifically addresses triggers unique to athletes:
Our aftercare planning for athletes includes:
Untreated substance use disorders threaten everything athletes have worked for—careers, sponsorships, relationships, health, and legacy. Beyond professional consequences, addiction increases injury risk, impairs performance, damages long-term health, and can be fatal. Early intervention provides the best opportunity for recovery while preserving athletic careers and future potential.
The competitive mindset that drives athletic success can be channeled toward recovery. Athletes possess unique strengths—discipline, goal-orientation, resilience, work ethic—that become powerful assets in overcoming addiction when properly directed.
We recognize that stigma around mental health and addiction remains pervasive in athletic culture. Many athletes fear that acknowledging struggles will be viewed as weakness, affect team standing, or damage career prospects. However, seeking treatment demonstrates strength, self-awareness, and commitment to long-term success—qualities every great athlete embodies.
High-profile athletes including Michael Phelps, Naomi Osaka, and Simone Biles have courageously shared their mental health challenges, helping break down stigma and normalize seeking support. Their voices remind us that even the greatest competitors benefit from mental health care and that vulnerability can coexist with elite performance.
If you’re an athlete struggling with substance use, you deserve treatment that understands your unique challenges and respects your competitive drive. At Refine Recovery, we’re committed to providing confidential, evidence-based care in a luxury setting that honors your athletic identity while addressing the complex factors contributing to addiction.
Don’t let substance use end your career or compromise your health. Our specialized team understands athlete psychology, performance pressure, and the path to recovery that preserves your competitive spirit while building lasting sobriety.
Call us today at (866) 890-9573 to speak with our admissions team about how we can support your recovery journey.
Verify your insurance or learn more about our admissions process to get started.
Take the first step towards lasting sobriety.
Every moment matters when it comes to your recovery. One Decision Can Change Your Life – Make This One Count.
